AJAX

What is AJAX?

AJAX stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. It is a Web development technique for interactive Web applications—a method that defines how Web pages interact with the server and the client.

When was it developed?

The technique was used way back in 2000, when JavaScript Remote Scripting was first used. But back then, it was purely based on JavaScript.

Why is AJAX gaining in popularity?

The concept is very simple, and the programmer doesn’t have to lean a new language. With Ajax, you can create richer, more dynamic Web application user interfaces that approach the immediacy and usability of native desktop applications.

How is AJAX better than just HTML?

AJAX makes Web pages more user-friendly—the entire HTML page doesn’t need to refresh each time a change is made. It allows for updating, deleting, and fetching of small queries without the entire page needing to be submitted. This makes the page more interactive, and quicker. AJAX also reduces interaction with the server. Where will AJAX be used? AJAX will be used in almost all Web pages that need to be more interactive, and to reduce response time.

Who has used AJAX?

The technique has been extensively used by Google in their applications such as Gmail.

Another example is portal applications, which bring up information from multiple sources and provide application services to the portlets that comprise the portal Web application. To the user, the portlet applications are similar to windowed applications on a desktop. Most portals are in a scenario where an action in one windowed application causes content in all other applications to be refreshed! Web developers employ AJAX-style programming to combat this behaviour.